I explain, why I think they are not saved. But I am not sure, because of this:
1. I place one block (from my mod:excavator) and when I placed it, it created tileentity and writes to it a INT direction. Then, is writed in code: every tick check if is powered by redstone. If true, set BOOLEAN active to true. This boolean is used only for texture. This block will check every tick, if behind it is any block, if true, then drops it on this(machine) block.
2. I leave(exit from) the world and again join (play) the world.
3. I looked at the blocks. All are rotated to the default direction-South(0).
When I place a block next to it's back texture side, and power it with redstone, nothing happens, but when I place a block at side, where back texture side was rototated before, it destroy the block and drop it.
And about the block update.
I made this block react to redstone-when I turn the power ON, the block must change it's texture. But nothing happens while I place or destroy block next to it. I wanted when is redstone on, update or notify block.
Sorry, if you find any mistakes, I am writing from mobile now and the keyboard is too small.